Resources

• Top 10 coaching tips
• PRIDE Programme
• Every Ball
• Tough to beat
• Attitudes of excellence
• Using your legs when serving
• The basics for doubles success

Top 10 coaching tips

If you find these tips helpful, come and book a lesson – we'd be delighted to explore them further with you and 'make a world of difference to your game'.

1. Check your attitude – get ready to get out of your comfort zone and into the learning zone. Improvements in your game will mean a change in habits and behaviour, so expect to be uncomfortable for a little while!
2. Get ready! A good 'ready position' with knees bent, tummy tight, back straight and weight forward on the balls of your feet will get you prepared for action both physically and mentally.
3. A split step as your opponent hits the ball is crucial as this 'un-weighting' process will help you move to the ball faster.
4. Read the flight of the ball! There are four main characteristics of ball flight: depth, direction, pace and spin. Become an expert at perceiving the oncoming ball before it has crossed the net. In order to do this, say 'hit' as your opponent hits the ball and track its flight from then on.
5. Failing to prepare is preparing to fail. For ground strokes prepare your racket as you move to the ball, not when you arrive at it! We call getting your racket back before the ball lands on your side of the court 'beating the bounce'.
6. Arrive at your shot 'on balance'. For ground strokes, this means feet still as you play the shot. Avoid running through the ball.
7. Contact point is the moment of truth in tennis. Whether volleying or hitting forehands and backhands, you can't go too wrong if your contact point is out in front of your body not beside it! Your follow-through will be a natural product of good contact point, so don't get hung up about where to finish the shot!
8. On your volleys, keep your racket head up above the level of your wrist and step and punch, not step then punch. This will help good weight transfer through the shot.
9. Tennis is a cross-court game so keep your percentages high and play over the low part of the net and into the big court area. Only go line if you can spell ESSO. The ball is 'easy', 'short', as a 'surprise', or the court is 'open'. This applies to singles as well as doubles.
10. On your serve, the ball toss is the most important thing. Imagine throwing the ball up a chimney without it touching the sides, aiming just higher than you can reach. When the ball comes out, try to hit it just as it is beginning to fall but while you are still at full stretch.